BossFeed Briefing for November 30, 2020. Last Monday, a report estimated that 12 million Americans will lose unemployment benefits by the end of the year if Congress fails to renew expanded benefits. Last Tuesday, the collective wealth added by US billionaires during the pandemic rose to 1 trillion dollars. Last Wednesday, new state unemployment claims rose by 79.8%. Tomorrow is National Eat A Red Apple Day, a good day to spread the word that gig grocery delivery workers are still excluded from most labor protections. This Friday is the 50th anniversary of farmworker organizer Cesar Chavez getting thrown in jail for 20 days after refusing to end the United Farm Workers grape boycott in 1970.
Three things to know this week:
A college student who ran a popular paint-mixing Tik Tok account has been fired by employer Sherwin-Williams. Tony Piloseno’s multi-colored experiments reached over 1.2 million followers—but instead of putting him in charge of their social media accounts, corporate HQ fired him for promoting their paint on and off the clock.
The WA seafood industry is one of the most dangerous sectors for workers when it comes to COVID, according to a report from the WA State Dept. of Health. One UW professor explains: “It’s like combining all the worst features of cruise ships and prisons and meat processing plants, all in one place.”
The state is attempting to collect tens of thousands of dollars from unemployed workers. Meanwhile, workers are calling on the state to place a moratorium on collections and “overpayment” notices, audit past denials, prioritize paying benefits quickly, and ensure accountability and transparency for workers.
Two things to ask:
What do workers want? We know state leaders are hearing from corporate lobby groups about the wishlists of the wealthy. Let’s make sure they hear What Workers Want, too: take ten minutes to complete our survey and help craft a workers’ agenda for the WA state legislature.
What are they so afraid of? A decked-out pandemic “survival compound” on Whidbey Island just hit the real estate market with a price tag of $6 million. It comes complete with bullet-proof walls, a secret escape tunnel, and an endless supply of toilet paper.
And one thing that's worth a closer look:
Nearly one third of the nurses in the US who’ve died from COVID-19 are Filipino, despite Filipino nurses making up just 4% of all nurses nationwide. The jarring statistic comes from a new report by the union National Nurses United, which says that many nurses are still working without adequate personal protective equipment, and that Filipino nurses are disproportionately work in hospital ICU units where they are more likely to be exposed to coronavirus. Union leaders say that immigration status concerns also play a part, as some immigrant Filipino nurses are less likely to speak up about workplace safety for fear of losing work visas in retaliation. All told, this tragic death toll is the latest example of the virus’ devastating impact on people of color at work and in communities.
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Consider yourself briefed, boss.
Let us know what you think about this week's look at the world of work, wages, and inequality!